Paper Summary
Paperzilla title
Long COVID: Some Health Problems Linger for Two Years, Especially After Hospitalization
This large study of US veterans found that many post-COVID health issues can persist for up to two years, with a greater burden among those hospitalized during the initial infection. While risks for many problems decreased over time, a substantial number remained elevated, particularly for hospitalized individuals, highlighting the ongoing need for long-term care and support. This veteran cohort may not generalize to all populations.
Possible Conflicts of Interest
Author B.B. received consultation fees from AstraZeneca. Author Z.A.A. received consultation fees from Gilead and funding from Tonix. Authors Z.A.A. and Y.X. consulted for Pfizer, although uncompensated. These potential conflicts should be considered.
Identified Weaknesses
The study population is primarily older male veterans, which may not represent the general population.
Incomplete outcome assessment
Not all possible long-term effects of COVID-19 were examined.
Potential for residual confounding
While many factors were considered, there's always a possibility of unknown factors influencing the results in observational studies.
Some participants were excluded because they didn't have complete data, potentially introducing bias.
It's important to note that results might change over time due to new COVID variants and treatments.
Rating Explanation
This is a large, well-conducted study using a comprehensive dataset. The methodology is strong, including attempts to address confounding factors. Although limited to a veteran population and a specific timeframe, the findings are significant and contribute substantially to understanding long COVID. The potential conflicts of interest were noted and could influence interpretation but do not invalidate the findings.
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File Information
Original Title:
Postacute sequelae of COVID-19 at 2 years
Uploaded:
August 25, 2025 at 11:40 AM
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